PINEVILLE, La. – Louisiana College made historic strides in 2011 and earned a top-25 national ranking for the first time before narrowly missing out on the NCAA Division III playoffs. With the release of the 2011 American Southwest Conference All-Conference team, the historical feats continued.

The Wildcats landed eight players on the All-ASC first team, the most to earn such an honor from Louisiana College in a given year.

Additionally, LC has two players receive individual honors, two earn second team and three honorable mention.

Sophomore defensive lineman Peter Ford (New Orleans, La./Teurlings Catholic) was named Defensive Lineman of the Year while running back Ryan Montague (New Orleans, La./St. Augustine) was named Freshman of the Year.

Ford led the conference in sacks with seven. He made 57 total tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss with six forced fumbles and two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.

“I am thankful for the honor, but it is kind of a bittersweet thing,” Ford said. “I thank God, my coaches and my teammates for helping me to win the award but, really, I would have preferred to not get it and have us make the playoffs. I feel like I didn't play as well as I could have. I could have done more for this team. The award is nice, but it didn't win us a conference championship or a national championship or put us in the playoffs. I am honored, but I am certainly not satisfied.”

Montague, a nontraditional freshman who sat out five years before officially beginning his college career, would have been a candidate for Freshman of the Year in 2010 were it not for a torn ACL in the summer prior to the season.
He rebounded in 2011 with 763 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground and 99 yards and two scores through the air on 115 rushes and 10 receptions. His numbers were amassed while splitting carries with senior Daron Bartholomew and sophomore CerDerrick Tyson.

“It's a blessing to say the least,” Montague said. “I didn't come into the season thinking about awards. I just wanted to play. After sitting out five years and tearing my ACL … That whole time was a test for me, but I got through it and got to play, finally, and the talents the Lord blessed me with carried me through the season. The man upstairs really has looked out for me. So like I said before, it's all a blessing.”

In total, 13 Wildcats were listed, second-most in school history behind only the 2010 squad's 14 honorees.

Ford was a first-team selection along with senior receiver Darnell Williams (Gulfport, Miss./Winter Park HS), senior receiver Dayne Reeves (Longville, La./South Beauregard HS), junior linebacker Nate Janzen (Pottsboro, Texas/Pottsboro HS), junior defensive back Reggie Calhoun (New Orleans, La./Slidell HS), senior center Ben Feibel (Shreveport, La./Northwood HS), junior guard Darin Moore (Ponchatoula, La./Ponchatoula HS) and junior tackle Jeremy Vujnovich (Belle Chasse, La./Belle Chasse HS).

Williams, considered the Wildcats' best pro prospect, caught 62 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns.  Reeves caught 55 passes for 596 yards and three touchdowns.

Janzen led the Wildcats in tackles with 81 to go along with 4.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions, three pass breakups, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble.

Calhounmade 20 tackles and one tackle for loss and intercepted two passes, broke up eight more, returned one fumble for 68 yards and forced one fumble.

The trio of first-team linemen started all 10 games for the Wildcats. Feibel, a four-year starter, allowed no sacks for the fourth straight year.

A pair of senior defenders were named to the All-ASC Second Team.

Linebacker Taylor Cottano (New Roads, La./Catholic-Pointe Coupee) made 77 tackles on the year including 4.5 for loss and one sack. He also broke up two passes and forced a fumble.

Defensive lineman Josh Montgomery (Texarkana, Texas/Pleasant Grove HS) played nose guard, LC's least stat-friendly defensive position, but still managed to make 18 tackles and record three sacks and seven tackles for loss. He also broke up a pair of passes.

Montague was joined by two Wildcats on the Honorable Mention list.

Junior quarterback Jamie Bunting (Alexandria, La./Alexandria Senior HS), completed 215-of-362 passes for 2,720 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2011.

Junior cornerback Brodrick Frederick (New Roads, La./Capitol HS) made 26 tackles, one for a loss, and intercepted one pass to go alon with two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.